The World Economic Forum opens in Davos

January 26, 2012, 12:13 UTC+3The world has changed, and their management style, managing both businesses and states, has remained the same

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MOSCOW, January 26 (Itar-Tass) — Another World Economic Forum opened in Switzerland’s Davos on Wednesday. It features over 2,500 guests. The main topic being the situation in the Euro zone. Russia is represented by its Deputy P Minister Igor Shuvalov. It became clear that the world is under the influence of pessimism: only 40 percent of corporate leaders are expecting growth this year.

Government leaders, businesses and economists from leading countries, must have agreed finally: the world has changed, and their management style, managing both businesses and states, has remained the same, the Komsomolskaya Pravda writes. Here must be the main reason, why the world cannot for that long time overcome the crisis which had affected not only the economy, but also all spheres of our lives, the newspaper writes. The forum’s topic was formulated quite ambitiously; “The Great Transformation: Shaping New Models.” Participants will be looking for models for growth of employment, world economy, innovations, social and technical models.

One of the organisers, Managing Director of the World Economic Forum Borge Brende, explained absence of Russia’s first figures by the presidential election due in spring, the Moskovsky Komsomolets writes. However, Russia’s businesses are represented well: Oleg Deripaska, Alexei Mordashov, Vagit Alekperov and Victor Vekselberg with another PR excercise for Skolkovo. The forum organisers have secured themselves by having invited fired from the government but respected in Europe Alexei Kudrin expecting to hear from him a detailed story about Russia’s situation in the economy and future.

It is noteworthy that these days Davos – due to close on Sunday – practically stands the siege, the Rossiiskaya Gazeta reports. All hotel numbers were booked in autumn already and those late have to find accommodation in neighbouring cities. Entrances to the city are equipped with control stations, where all arriving car are being checked thoroughly. Switzerland and Austria’s Air Forces secure the sky, which is closed for the term of the forum. Sure, there are exceptions from any rules – VIP guests may arrive in Davos by their private jets, but they have to notify the military beforehand.

The Novye Izvestia writes that PricewaterhouseCoopers /PwC/ analysts presented their new research devoted to expectations of businesses for the current year. It became clear that the world is under the influence of pessimism: only 40 percent of corporate leaders are expecting growth this year. Russian business managers are not that pessimistic: 48 percent of Russian major businesses are sure their companies will grow in 2012. But, if compared with the previous year, where optimists in the country made 60 percent, negative expectations are clear in Russia, too.

According to the 15th annual poll of leading international corporate managers, including 52 percent of Russian managers, almost half of those surveyed believe that coming twelve months the world economy will continue the slump. The biggest backtrack of consent is clear in Western Europe, where only 27 percent of top managers are sure about growth of their companies. Compare with 40 percent of the previous year.

Optimism of businesses in the Asian-Pacific region has fallen, too: 42 percent of top managers do not doubt short term development, against 54 percent of surveyed a year earlier. The biggest reduction of trust in the Asian-Pacific region is fixed in China, where a share of absolute optimists slumped over a year from 72 to 54 percent.

The question which causes biggest concern of top managers this year is ambiguity of economic growth. This is what 80 percent of the world top managers said, and 72 percent of Russia’s top managers. “This year is ruled by uncertainty: political, financial and legal,” head of Russia’s civil organisation of small and medium entrepreneurship /OPORA/ Alexei Dautov told the newspaper. “There is no optimism, there may be only cautions hope things will not be too bad. There are many reasons for such moods. Sure, the world economic crisis, which has affected us, of course. Then comes the political instability connected with eh presidential election in Russia and formation of a new government.”